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Vail-centric gifts for the holidays

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VAIL, Colorado ” With the 2008-09 holiday season now in full swing, the town of Vail would like to remind local residents and visitors of a wide variety of unique, Vail-centric gifts. From custom, cast renditions of Vail’s famous logo to memorial opportunities within the town’s limits, there are more ways than ever to give a piece of the Vail experience to someone else.

The town of Vail continues to offer several popular items as part of its Own a Piece of Vail program, as featured by USA Today, the Wall Street Journal and other national media.

– The new Vail Bell ” The latest in must-have Vail souvenirs, these limited-edition, 6-inch-high, 3-pound bronze bells ($200) adorned with the Vail Manhole Cover image are hand-cast in sand molds by North Carolina artist Mark Guilbeau.



– Manhole covers ” Sold in two sizes (2-foot, 52-pound version for $295; 6-inch, 5-pound water valve cover for $65) and resembling the real ones installed on streets throughout town that feature Vail’s famous V logo, these are slightly lighter and can be used in a wide variety of ways, indoors or outdoors. For givers looking for a more decorative, less utilitarian Vail souvenir, there are 6-inch water valve covers with special patina finish in bronze, silver, verdigris or copper ($120); and for the man or woman with everything, there’s always the commemorative Vail hitch cover for his or her vehicle ($88).

– Manhole cover jewelry ” The town has expanded its product line to include jewelry and accessories that also feature the famous “V” logo, including 16 fashionable pieces ranging from a sterling silver necklace ($60 to $80) to two-tone sterling silver/bronze manhole cover French cufflinks ($80 to $120) to a Tiffany-style charm bracelet ($120). Earnings, cufflinks, necklaces and charms also are available in 14K gold ($180 to $600).

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– Vail street signs ” Vail is known for its European-style street signs, which are available to the public on a limited basis (prices vary with condition).

These items, proceeds from which support Vail’s Art in Public Places program, are available at the town of Vail Municipal Building, 75 South Frontage Road, open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or by calling 970-479-2344. For more information, visit http://www.ownapieceofvail.com.

Giving Vail also can mean providing a place for us all to celebrate and honor the lives of the many people who have helped define the community through their experiences and contributions.

– Betty Ford Alpine Gardens ” America’s highest botanical garden offers a variety of ways (contributions of any size welcome) to honor loved ones. The gardens’ memorial book, on display at Alpine Treasures gift shop on the Gore Creek Promenade in Vail Village, is a one-of-a-kind creation containing every honorarium or memorial to the gardens since fundraising efforts began in the 1980s. A veritable living document weighing 6 pounds, it lists names of people ” living and deceased ” added every year by a professional calligrapher. For more information on other naming opportunities, memorials and honorariums throughout the gardens, call 970-476-0103 or visit http://www.bettyfordalpinegardens.org.

– Vail Memorial Park ” An 11-acre site along the banks of Gore Creek in East Vail, the nonprofit organization offers current or past residents of Vail or Eagle County ” or anyone else who feels an emotional connection with the region ” to purchase a memorial inscription and a place to scatter ashes. Several types of memorials are available, including inscriptions on stones, flagstone slabs and benches, as well as native trees and boulders (from $2,000). Pet memorials also are available (from $500). For more information, visit http://vailmemorialpark.org or call 970-476-3400.


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